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Martin Leake Double VC by Ann Clayton 1994 British Military History Book SIGNED

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Condition: Very good

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Martin Leake Double VC by Ann Clayton 1994 British Military History Book SIGNED

Martin Leake Double VC
By Ann Clayton
Published by Leo Cooper: London 1994 1st Edition
SIGNED & INSCRIBED BY AUTHOR

" Arthur Martin‑Leake (1888‑1960) was a medical officer in the Royal Army Medical Corps who became the first person ever to receive a bar to the Victoria Cross—a "Double VC". Ann Clayton's biography, Martin‑Leake: Double VC (Leo Cooper, 1994), traces his extraordinary wartime service in two separate conflicts. In the Second Boer War he earned his first VC by repeatedly exposing himself to enemy fire to tend wounded soldiers, famously dragging a mortally injured comrade to safety while under heavy fire. After the war he returned to civilian practice, only to volunteer again for the First World War; there, while serving in France, he again displayed conspicuous bravery, remaining at a forward casualty‑clearing station despite intense artillery bombardment, treating the wounded and refusing evacuation until the danger passed, actions that earned him the coveted bar to his original VC.

Clayton's narrative goes beyond the citations, drawing on Martin‑Leake's own letters, diaries and contemporary reports to paint a vivid portrait of a man who shunned personal glory and instead pursued a lifelong commitment to saving lives. The book explores his upbringing, medical training, and the moral convictions that led a fully qualified surgeon to enlist as a regular soldier, as well as his post‑war life, where he continued to serve his community while reflecting on the cost of war. By interweaving personal anecdotes with broader historical context, Clayton shows how Martin‑Leake's dual honors placed him among the only three men ever to win a bar to the Victoria Cross, underscoring the rarity of a non‑combatant's heroism in the annals of British military history."

Light scuffing to dustjacket. Small, neat inscription as shown. SIGNED BY AUTHOR. Pages clean and bright. An excellent copy in very good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.

Size 24cm x 16cm x 2.5cm - 250 Pages

PRODUCT DETAILS


Condition: Very good
Binding: Cloth
Special Attributes: ["1st Edition", "Dust Jacket", "Illustrated"]
Region: Europe
Subject: Military & War
Original/Facsimile: Original
Seller Notes: Light scuffing to dustjacket. Small, neat inscription as shown. SIGNED BY AUTHOR. Pages clean and bright. An excellent copy in very good condition overall. Please study photos to further understand condition.
Language: English
Author: Ann Clayton
Publisher: Leo Cooper: London
Year Printed: 1994
Sub-subject: British Military History